9-11 month favorites

1. Britax Marathon (convertible carseat) - This is technically my favorite thing. We bought this with gift cards and extra money from Christmas. I was sad about taking out the infant seat for about 5 minutes. The straps are stiffer in a good way. I can get Emmy in and out quicker and she sits up a little straighter so she is paying attention to everything in the car more.

2. Baby Mum-Mums - I thought these were strange looking but Emmy LOVES them. Right now she prefers these over the puffs now and I do too because less ends up on the floor for the dog.

3. Cloud B Twilight Turtle - A good friend of mine bought this for Emmy. She only just got really interested in it and spends so much time staring at it and giggling.

4. Rectal Thermometer - We should have bought this already. After she started spiking fevers we bought one to get a better reading and it has been a lifesaver. I was nervous about doing this but it's actually very easy and I highly recommend it.

5. B. Parum Pum Drum - I bought this drumset at the recommendation of a fellow target shopper. Emmy is mostly into the drumsticks. She bangs them on everything and smacks the lid to the drum with her hands. She will grow into the rest of the instruments but in the meanwhile Joe and I shake them around to go with her banging. 

6. Vtech Learning Laptop - Emmy got this from Joe's aunt and she just loves it! We put it in her highchair while we fix her food and she almost looks like she's really working on a laptop. Until she snaps it shut to stare at the sparkly sticker on the top. It's still the small things for her. 

And then, there's this guy... the love of my life:

The Chicco Polly Magic High Chair. It is magic, you know. I didn't want to get a high chair. I fought it for months, feeding Emmy in her boppy and in a little booster seat. My mom bought this for herself for when the grandkids come over. I saw it and knew I had to have it. See all those wheels? They make rolling her around our kitchen, living room and dining room a breeze. We have what some may call an "open floor plan" or what we call a tiny room with everything in it. I was afraid it would take up too much space but it doesn't. 

The height is adjustable so we lower her when we eat in the living room and raise it back up to eat at the table or to give her snacks while I cook in the kitchen. The real kicker though? It reclines! We giver her 3 out of 4 bottles in it now and it is so easy to recline back we can do it really fast, even if she is upset about how long we are taking to prepare the bottle. 

My advice to new moms would be to spend money on things that make your life easier. Babies are easily entertained so there's no need to spend hundreds of dollars on toys. Emmy's most favorite things are remote controls and pens. Not such great toy recommendations but that's the reality so don't feel guilty buying things for yourself or your home, if it's easier for you it's bound to make your kid happy too!